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In response to a press report that the Administration was considering to convert the Chi Ma Wan Correctional Institution into a temporary infectious disease hospital for treating severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients, a spokesman for the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau said today (June 9) that the report was totally groundless.
"Both the Government and the Hospital Authority have never considered or studied the option of converting the correctional institution into an infectious disease hospital.
"A working group comprising representatives from government departments and Hospital Authority has been tasked to explore options to increase isolation facilities in the public hospital system to better contain the spread of infectious diseases," the spokesman said.
End/Monday, June 9, 2003
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